I was raised on a farm in Texas. A few years before I was born, my parents, who adopted me, moved from Dallas and purchased the small farm where I grew up using money they received from an inheritance. Obviously, growing up on a farm instead of Dallas completely changed the trajectory of my life.

Like most people, my dad was not perfect, but he valued hard work above almost anything. I like to think I have that trait as well. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always worked. From a very early age I worked with my dad on the farm and at odd jobs for neighbors. As soon as I got a driver’s license I went to work on a ranch close to my high school. After graduation I attended junior college and worked 2-3 part-time jobs to make ends meet.

At 24 I married my wife, Deann. For the next 6 years, we both worked full-time lower paying jobs and struggled financially. We eventually moved away from Texas, and I spent my 30s working for two large ag companies. I had always wanted to own my own business and farming was what I knew and enjoyed. In 2008, after years of saving money for a down payment, I was ready to purchase a farm.

After finding a farm and applying for a bank loan (and all the other things that go along with a real estate purchase) it looked like the bank was not going to make the loan. Again, an inheritance had a pivotal effect on my life. My wife had relatives who knew about my goal and that the loan was probably not going to be approved. They offered to put up land they inherited as collateral that would insure the loan approval. This might seem an easy decision to some, but for me to accept help of that kind was extremely difficult. I did, in the end, swallow my pride and accept their offer with the provision they would accept a monthly payment equal to 5% annualized of the land’s market value until released. This provision allowed me to still hold my head high as we moved forward with the purchase.

The purchase of the first farm led to buying other farms and investment properties and eventually to where I am now – early retirement and now running for state representative.

I am offering all of this to help you understand the life experiences that shaped my perspective and values, especially around 3 things – the value of hard work, value of a dollar, and how I benefited twice from generational wealth.

I want you to know that I will do everything I can to ensure your tax dollars from your hard work are spent wisely. My wife once asked me why it never made me nervous when we would buy a farm or other piece of property that cost so much, but it absolutely drove me crazy to spend a small amount of money on things like convenience store snacks, fast food purchases, or $4 dollar coffees. My answer was this – I don’t mind spending money on things that provide a return on investment, whether that return is in dollars or services, but I hate to waste money no matter how small. It is the small repetitive expenses that sneak up on you and leave you with nothing in the end.

I have twice benefited from generational wealth, something I had no control over and not everyone gets that advantage. I believe there are ways that we can and should make it possible for all Oklahomans who work hard to achieve financial security, no matter the situation in which they start in life. And just to make absolutely clear, I am not talking about hand outs or welfare. I’m talking about investments in the citizens of Oklahoma that will provide a return to the individual and the state overall through improved economic growth, focusing especially on the young people of our state. I am referring to things like better child care options, so both parents can work if they choose; improving public education for all; more apprenticeships and job training paths for better higher paying jobs; and enabling people to become first-time homebuyers earlier in life. Home ownership is the most common way most people build wealth. We need to make that first hardest step more available to all.

Incidentally, things came full circle when I sold my farms. Although we were not related like in my situation, I had to put up collateral so the buyer of my farms could get his loan as well. It’s always the first step that’s the hardest.